Cake
by thatsthemath
Summary: udie is surprised when she comes over with Cake.


Cake

It was the early in the morning when Miss Maudie went to the Finch's door with her cake and other sweets. She didn't expect anyone to be up after last night and fully expected to be let in by Calpurnia. It was horrible what happened and surely traumatic to the young children and their father. Scout and Jem she knew how to deal with. Children are easy to comfort all they needed was attention and some of her fresh baked goods. Atticus was an entirely different matter. He was a normally reserved man who had firm belief in others before himself. She didn't know how she could comfort him, but she reserved her self and knocked on the door. The door swung open and to her surprise it was a disheveled Atticus who answered.

"Maudie?" He inquired obviously confused, "Why are you here you must be exhausted after last night?"

To say she was shocked was an understatement. But as she looked closer it was obvious he didn't get any sleep last night. The shock of seeing Atticus in such disarray soon dispensed and was replaced with anger.

"Atticus Finch what in the seven hells are you doing up. You should be in bed resting along with your children. How are they supposed to heal when their own father can't take care of himself"

"Your harsh Maudie." Atticus said tiredly. "I can't sleep last night was too eventful to do so. But please come in. It will cheer the kids up. Be quiet though, Jem's still sleeping from the painkillers the doctor gave him."

Maudie walked into the house and set her cake down on the counter and looked around, the house was in disarray and there was clear tension in the air. She looked over at Atticus who beckoned her to follow him. The pair walked to his study and sat down on the couch he had there. Atticus leaned forward put his head in his hands and sighed deeply.

"Maudie what do I do? I almost lost my kids last night if Arthur hadn't stepped in I don't know what-"

"Atticus Finch do not think such thoughts!" She said standing abruptly. She walked up to him taking his face in her hands and started again more softly, "Atticus it's clear to me you had a rough night but you need to rest. You are getting wound up and paranoid, and sleep fixes that."

She realized how close their faces were and abruptly let go. They sat there awkwardly for a while looking everywhere but each others faces. "Maudie..." He cut himself off. I turned back to face him and realized he had something he needed to say, "I uh was wondering if... we could have cake?"

"Sure," she murmured, realizing that he was a man in pain and that he was scared for his children. And he was also scared for himself, though he would never admit it. He was too proud. She also knew that if he really had something to say, he would take his time in saying it. But, he would eventually say it.

As she was serving the cake, Scout came into the room, her eyes lighting up when she saw Miss Maudie, and even more so when she saw the cake and other sweets. "You made us a cake?! Gee thanks!" Scout reached over and took the plate from Miss Maudie. She walked over and crawled into Atticus' lap, him moving his cake out of the way to make room for her. Miss Maudie knew that Scout was over exaggerating her excitement a little because of what had happened, but she didn't mind. As long as Scout was happy.

"When's Jem gonna wake up, Atticus?" Scout asked, looking as if the food in her mouth had turned slightly sour.

"Soon, baby, and then he can tell us everything that he remembers happening."

Miss Maudie cleared her throat, before tentatively asking,"Did Boo really save Jem?" Scout looked up at her sharply.

"Yes, he did. He's really quite nice, not awful at all like everyone has said. But..." Scout trailed off.

"But what, my dear?" Miss Maudie coaxed, knowing that Scout, too, had things to tell, and that she also would take her time doing so.

"He's sort of like a child," Scout began. "Even though he was brave enough to help me and Jem, and brave for coming out of his house, he's scared like a little child. He asked me to walk him home. I didn't want it to seem like that, so I had him hold his arm out so I could slip my hand though it, making it seem like we were just walking to his house. I feel bad for him. Atticus, do you think we'll ever see him again?"

"No, Scout, I don't. I think him coming out last night took all of his will and energy, and that after everything's happened, he might be even more scared of the outside world. I want you and Jem to leave him be from now on, you hear?" Atticus' voice had turned stern, and Scout knew she had to listen, even if she had already been planning on leaving Boo alone for good.

"Yes, sir."

"Scout, why don't you go outside and pick some flowers for Jem when he wakes up?" Miss Maudie suggests gently. "I'd like to talk alone with Atticus, if that's alright."

"Yes, ma'am," Scout left the room in a rush.

"What do did you want to talk Maudie?" Atticus asked, looking confused.

"You, sir, need to go to bed."

"That's rather forward, Maudie."

"The point still stands Atticus, you need to go to bed." Maudie then grabbed his hand and started pulling him to the bedroom.

Once in the room she helped him out of his suit jacket and layed him down in the bed. Pulling the covers over his chest. She turned to leave the room but his voice stopped her.

"Maudie don't leave."

She turned around to see he was sitting upright and had a helpless expression on his face. '_Oh' she thought 'this is different'._

She walked slowly over to the bed, and sat down on the edge. "Alright, I'll stay. I'll read to you, but only until you fall asleep." She spoke gently yet forcefully, as if speaking to a small child who wanted to stay up later than his bedtime.

She reached over and grabbed the closest book on the nightstand, which turned out to be _The Gray Ghost. _She sighed inwardly. '_Not the best book to use, Maudie_,' she chided herself inwardly.

_'Oh, well.' _

She began to read but was instantly interrupted by Atticus. "That's not why I asked you to stay." She looked over at him he was obviously very tired.

"Then why-"

She was cut off by his lips. She was shocked at first but then began to respond. _"What the hell is happening?" _She thought. Before it could go any farther though they were interrupted by a small voice.

"Atticus?" They turned to see Scout in the doorway.

She sprung off him and straightened herself up and strode to the doorway. She turned back to the figures in the room and said,

"I'll leave the cake." She then turned a heel and left the house.


End file.
